A protest organised by Amika George, a student period poverty campaigner, was held in London’s Parliament Square. The protest and her corresponding petition, signed by more than 87,000, calls on the Government to offer free pads and tampons to school girls from low-income families.

Girls less likely to miss school

Period poverty activist Amika George (Photo: Amika George)

The Government has acknowledged period poverty is a problem in the UK but action is not forthcoming. Instead, community projects and a pilot scheme in Scotland have sprung up, providing mounting evidence of the benefits of giving sanitary protection to those who can’t afford it.

Over a year ago, The Red Box project began supplying free sanitary products to schools in Portsmouth. The popularity of the scheme means boxes are now being made available in schools across the country. Co-founder Anna Miles told i teachers have indicated pupils who were missing school are less likely to since the boxes became available to them.

‘It has provided some much needed support to some of our most vulnerable pupils’ – Teacher

‘The spare pants have been a most welcome inclusion to the box for our pupils’ – Teacher

“We are finding schools are now contacting us directly and asking for support due to other schools in their area being supported,” says Ms Miles. “We have youth clubs covered and this has been extended to other clubs who saw the benefit and positive effect it had on the individuals accessing them.”

Three friends Jo, Liesl and Anna (L-R) in Portsmouth have founded a project to help girls access sanitary products

In September, Scotland launched a pilot scheme to get free sanitary protection to women, girls, transgender boys and men who need them in seven areas of Aberdeen.

The initiative is being led by Community Food Initiatives North East (Cfine) across seven low-income areas of Aberdeen.

Dave Simmers is the chief executive of Cfine and has overseen the project, which has secured funding from the Scottish Government to supply 1,000 women with free products for the six-month duration. They have more than 25 community organisations and voluntary partners getting the products out there as well as delivering free sanitary protection through food banks.

A mental health issue

Sanitary products are a health issue, says Mr Simmers, but the feedback the pilot has received so far shows it is also a mental health issue.

‘If a woman doesn’t have protection there is anxiety, stress and a negative impact on mental health’

“People feel less embarrassed and it is a weight off their mind,” he tells i. “If a woman doesn’t have protection there is anxiety and stress and a negative impact on mental health.

“The other thing we are really identifying is issues of embarrassment and taboos around the subject of menstruation,” he adds. But those who have accessed sanitary products through this initiative feel less embarrassed, according to Mr Simmers. “People are saying it is a weight off their mind.”

“What we have done is affirm what our experience told us anecdotally: that for women and girls undoubtedly of low income, sanitary products were yet another cost in tight budgets that had led to some women going without a meal to buy products for their children. We’ve got girls and women confirming that they have used unsatisfactory methods [such as] lining their underwear with socks, kitchen towels, or toilet roll.”

The Scottish Government has agreed to make sanitary protection available to students at schools, colleges and university from August 2018.

Reusable sanitary products

Cfine has also proposed to the Scottish Government the promotion of reusable sanitary products such as cups and towels.

“We’ve had about 60 women come forward and say they would like to try them,” says Mr Simmers. “Reusable products are excellent because they have environmental and financial benefits.”

Overcoming the stigma around reusable sanitary products is the first hurdle to clear. “Many folk react negatively to reusable products: they find it an unpleasant thought. But we have taken on a reusable cup called The Unicorn menstrual cup which is more pliable and comes in a bigger cup which you can use and discreetly rinse in a public toilet and then reuse again.”

A universal scheme to provide free sanitary products is going to cost the Scottish Government many millions of pounds, Mr Simmers adds. “If we used re-usable products, that cost will be slashed. But we have to raise awareness.”

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